Fareham celebrate homecoming with Bedfont victory
By Connor Steel
FAREHAM TOWN celebrated their long awaited return back to Cams Alders after a four month “hiatus” as they played Bedfont Sports FC in their latest league encounter on Saturday afternoon (March 21); eventually securing a four-three success following this topsy-turfy and entertaining ninety minutes watched by over three hundred fans in the sunshine.
The home team quickly settled into a good start and had an early lead after nine minutes as Dan Sibley found a space down the left; the low cross finding Asad Ssemwogerere who fired into this far corner for one-nil. And Fareham were in dreamland moments later when they made it two on twelve minutes through Matt Pates, who rifled home a great move.
Bedfont looked stunned but tried to respond as they created their first chance on sixteen minutes through Jake Woods; the midfielder cutting inside and seeing his long low shot roll straight into the hands of Dec McCarthy. Pates also drove wide on twenty-three minutes with a fiercely hit attempt and Toure Williams went close as a low drive was saved easily.
A third goal was coming and it arrived on thirty-three minutes as a delivery reached Charlie Cole to blast inside the left corner; sparking huge and loud celebrations from those within the stadium. These only got louder when Bedfont saw a goal disallowed on forty minutes for an offside call before Cam Sullivan went close in the last action before this interval.
Home momentum continued upon this second half with Williams again pushing himself into proceedings and he netted Fareham’s fourth just three minutes after this restart; this lobbed effort flying into the net over the keeper. Their joy was dimmed slightly when Bedfont were given a penalty on fifty-three minutes which was dispatched by Kai Hamilton-Olise.
The goal completely switched the match and Bedfont began to stroke possession around in key areas; only a touch by Lewis Colvin stopping a free kick from nestling inside the corner on sixty-seven minutes. But the visitors did score their second with fifteen minutes left on the clock as Jude Jakes-McKay put the ball home to finish off a quick passing move.
All late anxiety worsened for Fareham as the away team were awarded another penalty with nine minutes left and Dan Bennett was shown a red card for this foul; this frustration compounded when Dan Williams made it four-three from the spot. Bedfont then dominated the final actions with multiple corners and had another shot fizzing just wide to little avail.
It will ultimately be too late for their victory to save Fareham’s ‘battle’ against relegation as they are a mammoth twenty-two points from safety, but it should offer much confidence and positives moving into a busy run with nine games left to play. They will be back at Cams for 2 big fixtures in this next seven days against Hamworth Villa, and Hayes & Yeading.
PICTURED BY FAREHAM TOWN MEDIA: Home attacker starts celebrations at Cams as he scores one of four goals.
